Spitzer assumes role as coordinator of men’s lacrosse officials

Aug 23, 2017

FREELAND, Mich. (MIAA) – Longtime official and administrator Lee Spitzer was recently named coordinator of men’s lacrosse officials after a number of NCAA Division II and Division III conferences, along with individual lacrosse-playing institutions, united to look for ways to support and help grow lacrosse throughout the region.

League administrators from the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC), College Conference Of Illinois And Wisconsin (CCIW), Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA), Midwest Lacrosse Conference (MWL), North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC), Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC), Ohio River Lacrosse Conferences (ORLC) and Presidents’ Athletic Conference (PAC) out of Division III, along with the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) out of Division II, came together to determine additional ways to provide excellent services for each league's student-athletes, coaches and administrators. Franciscan University of Steubenville and La Roche College, members of the Division III Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC), were also a part of the search for a coordinator of men’s lacrosse officials.

“It is an honor to have been selected as coordinator of officials for men’s lacrosse. This presents a unique opportunity for me to work with each of the conferences and schools to establish a solid foundation for recruiting, training and evaluating officials that will help ensure consistent, quality officiating for each men’s lacrosse game played,” said Spitzer.

In addition to working with a combined 60 men’s lacrosse programs covering nine states, Spitzer will also play a significant role in the hiring, training and evaluation of officials while working to conduct comprehensive, preseason officials clinics and rules clinics as well as in-season educational updates for officials, coaches and programs.

"We are excited to have an individual with the experience and professionalism of Lee working with us at the MIAA," MIAA Commissioner Penny Allen-Cook said. "He is well-respected in the lacrosse community, and we are thrilled to have him assist in our efforts to strengthen our men's lacrosse programs in not only our conference, but our region."

Spitzer served as an official for 30 years between his work in the high school, college and Major League Lacrosse (MLL) ranks and held the role of assignor for the Central Ohio Lacrosse Officials Association (COLOA) from 2004-15. He has worked as the District Assignor in District 6 for the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA) since 2016. He is licensed through the National Intercollegiate Lacrosse Officials Organization (NILOA) and also holds a Class 1 license with the Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA).

2017 I was selected as OHSAA’s first Director of Officiating Develop for Boy’s Lacrosse.

In 2010, Spitzer began serving as the District 6 Coordinator for US Lacrosse while also earning a spot on the organization’s Men’s Officials Training Committee. He was named to U.S. Lacrosse’s Men’s Game Committee in 2015. Spitzer is also certified by US Lacrosse as a clinician, observer and assignor. He has worked as a COLOA trainer since 1993 and as a LAREDO (LAcrosse REferee DevelOpment) clinician for US Lacrosse since 2014 and was selected as OHSAA’s fist Director of Officiating Development for boy’s lacrosse in 2017.

US Lacrosse’s District 6 consists of Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, Western Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Wisconsin.

A native of Columbus, Ohio, Spitzer was inducted into the Ohio High School Wrestling Coaches Association (OHSWCA) Hall of Fame in 1992, the Ohio Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 2001 and the Ohio Capital Conference Hall of Fame in 2011. He had served as the head lacrosse coach at Upper Arlington High School for 13 years and head wrestling for 27 years.